Recent advancements in sensing technology have enabled biosensors to detect specific biological target analytes with extremely low detection limits such as, for example, picomolar (pM) and femtomolar (fM) levels. Nano-enabled biosensors, with their application-specific design and packaging, can be readily utilized in point-of-care (POC) sensing systems that generate bioinformatics useful for diagnosing and monitoring various diseases.
Though Zika virus, a mosquito-borne pathogen, often directly causes only mild symptoms, it has been recently linked to occurrences of microcephaly when the virus is passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Due to the fact that Zika virus is difficult to identify and monitor at early stages, international health agencies have declared a state of emergency in areas heavily affected by Zika virus.
Currently, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) are two major laboratory methods available for detecting Zika virus. These methods can be used to detect the virus, for example, within 3-10 days following the onset of symptoms. However, the ELISA test adopted for detecting Zika virus has limitations due to cross reactivity of the antibodies with other species of the Flavivirus genus such as, for example, dengue virus. Also, ELISA is cumbersome for healthcare workers to carry and utilize. Because these methods are typically carried out in laboratories only, the turn-around time for a confirmed laboratory diagnostics results can take up to days, causing significant delays in diagnosis and treatment. In addition, these test methods are unable to detect Zika virus at low detection limits, which can result in misidentification of the viral infection at an early stage.
Therefore, developing a cost-effective, rapid, sensitive, and selective immunosensor for detecting Zika virus is of great importance in view of the significant Zika outbreak in many areas.